The Cardinals are handing over the reins to Kliff Kingsbury. They’re hoping he can energize their offense, but he’s got his work cut out for him – more than you might realize.

Arizona scored the fewest points in the league last year. It also finished with the fewest rushing yards. It also finished with the fewest passing yards.

That’s an unusual trifecta of futility. It’s been over 40 years since an offense ranked last in all three of those major categories – the 1977 Buccaneers (not the 0-14 expansion franchise, but the 2-12 group the next season). Since the merger in 1970, only one other team has finished last in all three categories: the Patriots in 1970 (their last season as the Boston Patriots).

In 49 post-merger seasons, only 10 other teams have ranked in the bottom 3 in all three of those categories. It’s happened only four times in the last 20 years, and three of those involved expansion franchises (the 1999 and 2000 Browns, and the 2002 Texans).

Cardinals very much look like a fixer-upper project. Josh Rosen needs to be developed. The offensive line needs to be shored up. And they need to add some receiving talent to help out Larry Fitzgerald.

AWFUL OFFENSES (since 1970)
YearTeamPointsRunPass
1970Boston Patriotslastlastlast
1977Tampa Bay Buccaneerslastlastlast
1988Detroit LionslastNTLlast
1991Indianapolis ColtslastlastNTL
1991Phoenix CardinalsNTL26th26th
1995New York Jetslastlast28th
1999Cleveland Brownslastlast29th
2000Cleveland BrownslastNTLNTL
2002Houston TexanslastNTLlast
2016Los Angeles RamslastNTLNTL
2018Arizona Cardinalslastlastlast

—Ian Allan